Sectional flooring



2 sheets-sheet 1 March 20, 1962 J. w. sPlsELMAN ET AL SECTIONAL FLOORINGFiled Jan. so, 1958 March 20, 1962 1. w. sPlsELMAN ETAL 3,025,934

SECTIONAL FLOORING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 30, 1958 FIGS 54INVENTORS WALTER F. PAWLOWSKI JOSEPH W. SPISELMAN ATTORNEY 3,025,934Patented Mar. 20, 1962 3,025,934 SECTIONAL FLOORING Joseph W. Spiselman,873 E. 26th St., Brooklyn, N.Y., It/Ind Walter F. Pawlowski, 39 PleasantSt., Holbrook,

ass.

Filed Jan. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 712,271 S Claims. (Cl. 189-34) Thisinvention relates to a new and improved elevated sectional flooringincluding spaced upright supporting standards or pedestals adapted to bemounted on a subfloor, said sandards in turn supporting floor panels orplates, these floor panels being easily set in place and removedproviding access to the space between the elevated flooring and thesub-floor, for the purposes enumerated in copending patent applicationsSerial No. 619,886, led November l, 1956, now Patent No. 2,830,332 andSerial No. 627,660 filed December 1l, 1956. The present inventionprovides' a novel construction including the provision of anintermediate fabricated frame for disposition on the standards, thefloor panels or plates being in turn disposed on the frames, resultingin the improvement that a greater span between the upright supportingstandards is thereby made possible, and at the same time the elevatedllooring has a lighter weight per installed square foot and is moreeconomical with adequate load-carrying capacity, ease of manufacture,handling and installation; the invention also includes the provision ofa novel elevated flooring construction comprising an intermediatefabricated open frame of relatively great area, which rests upon theupright standards, and provides for the application thereto of aplurality of lighter weight floor panels or plates per frame, each floorpanel being provided with a waflle type cast beam structure on the underside thereof for lightness in weight but sufficient load-carryingcapacity with minimum deflection, the panels or plates each beingrecessed at the under side thereof for accurate application to theintermediate frame at the open spaces thereof, minimizing over-all depthof the assembly, said panels or plates being in effect provided withrecessed or in-set bottom flanges which locate the same in the openingsin the intermediate frames.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of elevatedsectional flooring as above described wherein the edges of the floorplates or panels are held to an accurate dimension and abut each otherthroughout the flooring so as to provide an accurately disposed andassembled floor having the advantages above described; and the provisionof floor panels or plates as above described having raised lips at theedges thereof to contain tiles thereon and to protect the tile edgeswhen the plates or panels are being handled, and in addition providing adecorative effect somewhat equivalent to the spacers in terrazo marbletile floors, the plates or panels being capable of being tiled at thefactory, or on the job, if desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention include gaskets of felt orplastic under the rims of the floor plates or panels providing a quieterconstruction and also a substantially sealed-off chamber between theelevated flooring and the sub-floor which may be made use of as a plenumchamber; special means for providing electrical grounding of the entireconstruction; alternatively the panels or plates may merely rest inposition or they may be secured as for instance by being bolted orscrewed to the intermediate frame; and the provision of an intermediateframe constniction such that the supporting uprights or standards may beslid along certain cross members of the `frame or along two contiguousside members of adjacent frames, said standards also fitting a centralintersection of interior frame cross member, as desired,

when concentrated loads are expected, so that the uprights or standardsmay be placed substantially where desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter,

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 isa top plan view of a completed floor, with parts broken away,illustrating the invention;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged sections on the corresponding sectionlines of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a section on line 5--5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a partial bottom plan View of the flooring panels or plates;

FIG. 7 is a partial plan view on a smaller scale showing theintermediate frame, parts being in section to show the fabricatedconstruction thereof;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the invention; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view illustrating the selective relationship ofthe supporting standards to the panels to support the same directly.

In carrying out the present invention, it is to be understood that theentire elevated flooring is based upon a sub-flooring which may be ofconcrete or the like and is indicated by the reference numeral 10 inFIG. 2, and is not shown in FIG. l. Upon the sub-flooring at selectedintervals, there are disposed tubular uprights, standards, or pedestals12. which may be conveniently formed as a section of pipe threaded atthe lower ends thereof at 14 for engagement with supporting flanges 16.These flanges 16 may be bolted or screwed to the sub-floor 10` as forinstance by bolts 18.

The upper end of each upright or standard is threaded as at 20 forengagement with a large nut 22, this nut being therefore easilyvertically adjustable and supporting a tubular bracket or head generallyindicated by the reference numeral 24. The brackets 24 may be made ofany suitable material and are in the general form of a cylinder, eachhaving an upper flat laterally extending flange 25 thereon upon whichthe intermediate frames to be described rest. A series of, in this casefour, upstanding lugs 26 are provided for a purpose to be described.These lugs will be seen to be generally angular in plan, seeparticularly FIG. 5, having internally rounded corners at 28, and arearranged in mutually spaced relation leaving substantially equal flatsupporting areas of the flange 25 between them.

It is to be understood that the brackets 24 being tubular, accommodatethe upper end of the uprights or stands 12, see FIG. 2, and the lugs 26are arranged generally outboard thereof and are preferably provided withsupporting buttresses 30 or the like. This construction provdes thatlight-weight material, such as aluminum, may be used to make thebrackets 24 and the same may be most conveniently cast.

On the bracket 24 there'is provided an intermediate supporting frameworkwhich is best shown in FIGS. l and 7. This framework comprises a seriesof separate open frames each composed of four external channelirons 32arranged on edge and joined at their corners, forming a square.Intermediate the ends of each channel-iron, the lips of which faceoutwardly, there are provided a pair of crossed box frame members 34,one of which extends directly across the frame and the other of which isnecessarily in two parts, welded at its ends to the cross member 34 andto the respective side channel frame member 32. This is shown in FIG. 7.Each channel frame member 32 is one-half the width of the cross members34, while having the same height; and these dimensions are specificallyarranged so that a pair cf contiguous edge frame members 32, just occupya space the distance between two lugs 26, see FIG. 5; and the 3 crossframe members 34 have a width which just occupies the same space.

Since the lugs 26 are evenly spaced apart, see FIG. 5, it will becomeapparent that a standard 12 with bracket 24 thereon, may be placed ateach corner of an entire frame 32, 34 and support at their corners, fouradjacent corners of four separate intermediate frame members. On theother hand, a standard or upright may be placed centrally of the entireintermediate frame as indicated in FIG. l centrally thereof. In thiscase, the only members supported on this bracket are the cross members34, and this bracket may be placed anywhere along the length of anymember 34. Also, the uprights l2 may be placed not only at the cornersof the frames 32, 34, but also at any point along two combined members32 that are contiguous. In this way, the intermediate frames 32, 34 maybe supported at any points desired along any of the frame membersthereof, even though it has been demonstrated that it is ordinarily onlynecessary to support the intermediate frames in conjunction withcontinguous intermediate frames at the corners thereof.

Having placed the uprights 12 where desired and with the intermediateframes 32, 34 resting thereon as above described, the finish floorpanels or plates each of which is generally indicated at 36, are thenplaced upon the intermediate frames covering the same completely, therebeing four such panels or plates for each intermediate frame asillustrated in the present invention. Clearly, however, the intermediateframes need not be square nor limited to four openings, in order tocarry out the invention.

Each plate or panel 36 may lbe conveniently cast of light-weight metalsuch as aluminum or any other convenient or desirable metal or material.Each of these panels or plates is recessed at its lower surface forminga relatively shallow supporting edge member indicated at 38 see FIG. 9,and extending all around the same. This edge is defined by a continuousflange 40 depending from the lower surface of the respective plate orpanel and in-set from the edge thereof which is indicated at 42 in FIGS.3, 4 and 9. This flange Iforms a part of a cast waffle construction wellillustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 and this waffle construction is madespecifically for bearing maximum weight with due regard to total weightof the oor.

The edges of the floor plates or panels 36 are preferably machinerlnished for squareness andexact dimension, thus providing closetolerance on the installation so that each plate bears at its edges onthe four surrounding plates and there is no looseness or motion possiblebetween these plates. At the same time, they are clearly locatedaccurately with regard to the four openings in each of the intermediateframes 32, 34, and it will be at once apparent that it is a simplematter to lay or raise these panels or plates as desired for providinginstallations of conduits or other devices under the floor between theelevated floor and the sub-floor.

In order to provide a seal between the plates 36 and the chamber betweenthe elevated floor and the sub-floor, and also to provide a quieterinstallation, felt or plastic gaskets 44 may be provided; and ifnecessary, metal springs 46 may extend through these gaskets from holes48 down to the intermediate frame as illustrated in FIG. 3 in order toprovide for a complete electrical contact for grounding of the entireoor. lt is of course clear that the plates or panels could also bescrewed or bolted into the frame members 32 and 34 if this weredesirable in any particular installation.

The present invention provides a supporting frame structure the membersof which have adequate cross sectional moduli to carry concentratedloads without excessive deection and serves to take the loaddistribution from light-weight cast aluminum floor plates which aremounted on the underlying or intermediate frame. The heads or brackets24 serve to retain the intermediate frames 32, 34 in approximatealignment, but close tolerances in this respect have been found not tobe necessary, and this feature decreases the cost of the manufacture ofthe ooring, close tolerancesfon installation being maintained by themachine finished edges of the plates themselves.

The panels 36 are also provided with raised edge lips 5t) extendingthereabout and providing for location and holding of tile of any kind S2which can be installed at the factory so that flooring when laid asabove described is completely inished and ready for use. These raisedlips 50 abut each other closely and together form dividers andseparating spacers of the kind normally found in terrazo flooring.However, the lips 50 are equally effective for holding cork, rubber, orany other kind of tile, as well as cast materials.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, the under side of the panels or plates arereenforced not only by the ange 4t) but by criss-crossing webs S4 and56, the latter being of a depth preferably equal to that of flange 46and the webs S4 being of less depth. This wafe effect gives a strongfloor panel of minimum deection for weight supported and a minimum ofweight.

The projections or lugs 26 on the supporting brackets 24 are not onlyspaced to receive the open frame members 34, and 32 in pairs, but alsoare receivable in the divisions of the waffle arrangement of webs 54 and56. Thus the standards may be placed directly under any panel, with thebrackets 24 elevated by nuts 22, to support the panels directly withoutinterference from the webs as shown in dotted lines in the lower leftpanel of FIG. l and in FIG. 9.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we donot wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise thanas set forth in the claims, but what we claim is:

l. The combination of a floor panel for elevated flooring comprising agenerally at solid body having an upper floor surface and a lowerreenforced surface, a series of reenforcing webs on the body, said websprojecting downwardly and criss-crossing each other forming divisions inthe lower oor panel surface, with a supporting standard to support theoor panel, and an adjustable head on said standard, and a series ofupwardly projecting spaced lugs on the head, said lugs conforming ingeneral to a like number of divisions in the lower surface of the floorpanel and engaged with the lower surface of the oor panel within thecorresponding divisions to support the oor panel without interferencewith the reenforcing webs.

2. Elevated sectional flooring comprising a series of uprights, avertically adjustable head on each upright, a series of spaced generallyupright lugs on each adjustable head, a series of Hoor panels, eachpanel including depending members thereon at the lower surface thereofbetween which lthe lugs may engage, the lugs being contacted directly bythe under surface of the panels and the panels being held againsthorizontal motion by the interengagement of lugs and said dependingmembers.

3. The elevated flooring of claim 2 including rectangular open framesunderlying the panels, additional uprights including adjustable headsand lugs on the heads, the frames being supported on the lastnamed headsbetween the last-named lugs.

4. The elevated flooring of claim 2 including rectangular open framesunderlying the panels, additional uprights including adjustable headsand lugs on the heads, the frames being supported on the last-namedheads between the last-named lugs, the last-named heads being lower thanthe lirst-named heads.

5. Elevated sectional ooring comprising a series of uprights, an openframe for disposition on the uprights, a panel adapted to be disposedupon the open frame, and means on the panel at the under side thereoffor insertion in the opening of the frame, said uprights beingselectively disposable to underlie the panels and support the latterdirectly, upstanding lugs on the uprights, and webs for the panels atthe lower surfaces thereof providing a reenforced WafHe-like undersurface for the panels to selectively receve the lugs of the upright inthe divisions thereof to support the panels directly Withoutinterference from the Webs.

Platt Nov. 29, 1904 Dalton June 14, 1927 Borthwick Feb. 16, Bowman Mar.28, Serra June 5, Frease Aug. 18, Smith June 4, Wanless Apr. 15, GibbsSept. 9, Benton Jan. 6,

FOREGN PATENTS France Dec. 17,

